( hm... she didn't need this conversation to realize that the life of a mutant is, in fact, very tragic. to be hunted down and slaughtered, using those specific words—makes her think of the specificity of it, like animals.
wanda isn't sure how to respond to that via text. )
[ Yes, like animals sounds about right. Considering what they were used for. ]
I can't say I've played against him, so I'll trust you on that.
[ He's not much of a bowling man anyway. Give him a chess match any day. ]
There was a man, Bolivar Trask. He designed the Sentinels, robots capable of detecting the X-gene and tracking down mutants. To advance his research, he hunted down several of our kind and subjected them to extensive experimentation. It was ongoing for around a decade before he was finally stopped.
Not that the amount should matter. One mutant would have already been too much, but it was exceptionally inhumane.
( the way he types this all out, without reserve, candidly telling wanda of the experience he's had—she isn't sure, but it makes her feel good, despite the subject at hand. like he's trusting her with something that's otherwise difficult and easy to feel resentful about.
and wanda just finds herself wanting to continue keeping his attention. even if it's to admit to something that just now clicked with her. )
you probably think it was a stupid choice that i let myself be part of experiments.
( despite the circumstances that necessitated them— )
[ It's not something he's reluctant to share particularly, at least to anyone who wants to understand a little more about the mutant cause. Maybe talking in person would be better, but he doesn't mind doing it over text, either. If she has questions about it another time, he's more than willing to continue the conversation.
The first thing she thinks to say to all of that makes him smile faintly at the screen. ]
Not at all. You had your own motivations, and more importantly, it was your choice.
[ He didn't have that, nor did all of those mutants. At least Erik survived. ]
I was born in 1930. I'm 43 years old, for reference. Why do you ask?
( it gives her some relief, knowing that he doesn't think too badly about her choices. or at all, it seems. and, well, she doesn't need to do a lot of maths at all to draw this conclusion. )
i saw the numbers on your arm. i remember them on some older people in my neighborhood.
[ He had a feeling it was something related to that. It's not as if he goes out of his way to keep the numbers covered, and so anyone who comes from a version of Earth similar to his will know what it means. That she connects the dots is of absolutely no surprise to him. ]
I've distanced myself from my heritage for a good portion of my life, but I am, yes.
My parents and I were taken to Auschwitz. I had just turned fourteen years old.
i'd like to talk more with you , though. in person. not about this necessarily.
( she's taking a gulp of courage here, hoping that this isn't a new 'friendship' that she's botched by asking questions she shouldn't be asking, or by showing certain eagerness. )
I could probably think of a few other interesting topic.
[ Far less depressing, too. That's his attempt at a joke. ]
I don't know if Charles has told you, but we have taken over a large portion of one of the motels. By 'we' I mean mutants. You can come by whenever you feel like.
( it might not land as a joke necessarily, but it helps ease wanda's spiraling thoughts that he makes that kind of comment.
still— )
he might have. we were talking about other things.
you'll be there ?
( even if she doesn't feel indifferent or negatively about charles, it's clear that wanda has become more attached to erik than the telepath. anxiety rises in her, at the idea of this 'group' that charles had started talking about. the idea of erik being involved (why wouldn't he be?) makes her feel somewhat more keen on the idea. )
[ She doesn't need to ask twice, of course. Erik promptly sends her the address, expecting she won't be shy about letting him know when she wants to come by. ]
I'll see if I can get you a fun magnet. Maybe make you one?
( as promised, she will note this down on a piece of paper and keep it somewhere where she can see it. the text message that comes after is unexpected, if only because wanda thought that was the end of their conversation.
it makes her smile. )
if you're offering. you can have creative freedom with it.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ Even if she's not mad about it, something that he's glad for. He did still tell someone when she asked him not to. ]
He's far too generous with that wording. I led a group of us for a brief while, before most of them were hunted down and slaughtered.
A few. There's Charles and I, of course, the others are supposedly from a time in the future. Laura, Scott, Logan, Storm. More that I've not yet met.
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wanda isn't sure how to respond to that via text. )
i've met scott. he's nice. good at bowling.
( and— )
did it happen often ? being hunted down ?
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I can't say I've played against him, so I'll trust you on that.
[ He's not much of a bowling man anyway. Give him a chess match any day. ]
There was a man, Bolivar Trask. He designed the Sentinels, robots capable of detecting the X-gene and tracking down mutants. To advance his research, he hunted down several of our kind and subjected them to extensive experimentation. It was ongoing for around a decade before he was finally stopped.
Not that the amount should matter. One mutant would have already been too much, but it was exceptionally inhumane.
[ And sadly, not his first experience with it. ]
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and wanda just finds herself wanting to continue keeping his attention. even if it's to admit to something that just now clicked with her. )
you probably think it was a stupid choice that i let myself be part of experiments.
( despite the circumstances that necessitated them— )
...can i ask how old you are? your birthdate?
( she's going to do some maths. )
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The first thing she thinks to say to all of that makes him smile faintly at the screen. ]
Not at all. You had your own motivations, and more importantly, it was your choice.
[ He didn't have that, nor did all of those mutants. At least Erik survived. ]
I was born in 1930. I'm 43 years old, for reference. Why do you ask?
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i saw the numbers on your arm.
i remember them on some older people in my neighborhood.
you said you are jew , too.
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I've distanced myself from my heritage for a good portion of my life, but I am, yes.
My parents and I were taken to Auschwitz. I had just turned fourteen years old.
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Granted, perhaps it is the sort of topic that should be discussed in person. I'm not very accustomed to speaking over text messages.
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sorry.
i'd like to talk more with you , though. in person. not about this necessarily.
( she's taking a gulp of courage here, hoping that this isn't a new 'friendship' that she's botched by asking questions she shouldn't be asking, or by showing certain eagerness. )
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[ Far less depressing, too. That's his attempt at a joke. ]
I don't know if Charles has told you, but we have taken over a large portion of one of the motels. By 'we' I mean mutants. You can come by whenever you feel like.
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still— )
he might have. we were talking about other things.
you'll be there ?
( even if she doesn't feel indifferent or negatively about charles, it's clear that wanda has become more attached to erik than the telepath. anxiety rises in her, at the idea of this 'group' that charles had started talking about. the idea of erik being involved (why wouldn't he be?) makes her feel somewhat more keen on the idea. )
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Well, I'm not around all the time, but you can message me whenever you want to come by and I'll let you know.
[ And if it's important he'll just ditch work to meet her, he's done it before for Charles, so. ]
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if you give me the address , i will write it down. put it on the fridge with a fun magnet.
( she won't abuse his generosity, and will ask if he's in first or make an appointment to visit him some other day. )
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I'll see if I can get you a fun magnet. Maybe make you one?
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it makes her smile. )
if you're offering. you can have creative freedom with it.
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